Package



Dec. 12, 1944.

c. H. RASMUSSENf 2,364,916

PACKAGE Filed March 12, 1941 J0 V I INVENTOR Patented Dec. 12, 1944UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE Charles H. Rasmussen, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Ferdinand Gutmann & 00., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporationof New York Application March 12, 1941, Serial No. 382,925

7 Claims. (01. 206-56) The invention relates to packages, and moreparticularly to a package for tablets or lozenges in which the wrapperis of tearable material so as to permit the withdrawal of the tablets orlozenges only as a removal of a part of the wrapper.

Prior to the present invention, it was the practice to Wrap tablets orlozenges either in a paper wrapper held in position by folding the edgesthereof against the ends of the stacked tablets or lozenges, or tosimilarly wrap the tablets or lozenges in a metal foil, providing anouter wrapping of paper and weakening the covering. structure in amanner to facilitate the separation of the portion of the coveringadjacent a tablet or lozenge when removing one of the tablets orlozenges from the package.

Packages having the above characteristics were objectionable because, inthe event of tearing of the wrapping when removing a tablet or lozenge,the adjacent tablet or lozenge was so exposed as to accumulate dirt orbe impaired by moisture.

To correct the objectionable characteristics above referred to, it wasattempted to use a skirted metal shell, the skirt of which had a closefriction fit with the tearable wrapping material carried by one end ofthe package, which closure was removed when a tablet or lozenge was tobe taken from. the package, accompanied by the tearing away of theadjacent portion of the wrapper, and replaced so as to protecttheuppermost of the remaining tablets or lozenges from dust and dirt andthe effects of moisture.

This expedient, however, did not prove satisfactory because, upon thesucceeding removal of the closure, it was found that the uppermosttablet or lozenge, in many instances, was removed from the stack withthe closure and it was practically impossible to remove the tablet orlozenge from this closure without mutilating the tablet or lozenge.Furthermore, the presence of the tablet or lozenge in the closureprevented the replacement of the closure upon the body with asufficiently tight fit to ensure its retention upon the body of thepackage. I,

If the skirt of the closure were to have a free sliding fit with thewrapping of the package, allowing sufiicient clearance to permit atablet or lozenge to drop freely therefrom, the close friction fitbetween the skirt of the closure and the wrapping, necessary to ensurethe closure remaining in place so as to protect the contents of thepackage, was impossible.

It has also been found by extensiveexperiment that the retention of theuppermost tablet or lozenge by the skirted closure is a matter of suchfrequent occurrence as to make the use of such a structure commerciallyimpracticablen With the above conditions in mind, I have pro.- duced apackage, the body portion of which consists of flexible tearablematerial wrapped about stacked tablets or lozenges and folded to closethe ends of the covered stack, one end of which body has removablymounted thereon a skirted slip closure so constructed as to permit'theejection therefrom, when the closure is removed, of a tablet or lozengewhich may be removed from the stack by the engagement therewith of theskirt of the closure.

The closure is so constructed that the skirt thereof will take a firmgrip upon the exterior of the flexible material of the body of thepackage, consisting of the wrapping for the tablets or lozenges, or uponthe exposed edge of the end tablet or lozenge if this is exposed, as aresult of the tear in the wrapper extending below the top of the tabletor lozenge.

The closure is also so constructed as to protect the uppermost tablet orlozenge from dirt and moisture and avoid possible injury thereto fromthe instrumentality used in forcing the tablet or lozenge'from withinsaid closure.

The invention consists primarily in a package embodying therein a bodyformed of a tearable wrappin closely enveloping a stack of tablets orlozenges, and a closure having a skirt of a form to slip over an end ofand frictionally engage the exterior of said body, and a top having anopening therethrough permitting the passage of a push rod forejectingfrom the closure after its removal from the stack a tablet orlozenge which may be frictionally retained within the skirt of theclosure and accidentally removed from the stack with the closure,whereby replacement of the closure upon the stack is permitted; and insuch other novel characteristics as are hereinafter set forth anddescribed and more particularly pointed out in the claims heretoappended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a package embodying the invention with portionsof the wrapping envelope and the closure broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the closure, upon a slightly larger scale,partly broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional illustration view of the closure.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing,which is upon an In actual practice, thi wrapping consists of an innerply of metal foil II, or other weatherproof readily tearable material,and an outer ply I2 consisting of a paper label, which also may bereadily torn by the fingers in removing a tablet or lozenge from thepackage. When a tablet or lozenge has been removed, the uppermost oneremainin in the package is usually exposed throughout its entire toparea and generally also about a portion of its edge, since there is noclearly defined line of tearage of the material of the body.

"To protect the exposed areas of one or more of the upper tablets orlozenges, I provide a closure havinga skirt I3 and :a top Id. The skirtI3 conforms generally to the contour of the tablets or lozenges and :hasinside dimensions which will ensure a close frictional .fit with thebody of the package and force the plies II and 12 towards .and againstthe edges of tablets or lozenges in the stack I10 .in .a manner topreclude possibility of accidental escape of the closure from the body.Some flexibility of :the skirt is essential toavoid tearage of the bodywrapping when applyin the closure and to permit the skirt to adaptitself to tablets or lozenges or slightly different dimen-- sions.

The skirt I8 has a plurality of spaced inwardly directed nubs I5 towardsits lower edge which take a .firm zbite upon the body :II-I-Z andprovide gripping areas at zdivergent points about the tablets orlozenges while affording intermediate free slidin areas sothat the edgesof the skirt may ,treely pass over the body without likelihood of ageand, by refiex-ure, causing a continuing pressure of the nubs againstsame. Preferably, the nubs are elongated verticallyof the skirt and areof 'a length to lap two adjacent tablets or lozenges. v

If, in removing a tablet or lozenge, the plies II and I2 are so torn-as=to expose a substantial part of the edge of the uppermost tablet orlozenge remaining in the stack HI, the nubs I5 are, when applying theclosure to the body, pressed directly against the tablet or lozenge sothat upon the succeeding removal of the closure, thi tablet or lozengeis retained by the nubs within and adjacent the top I4 of the shell ofthe closure.

Experience has shown that .a tablet or lozenge so retained within'theclosure cannot be removed without breaking it, if access to it can behad only through the open bottom of the closure; that the "skirt cannotbe flexed sufliciently to relieve the grip :of ".the nubs I5, and thatits presence within the closure usually prevent the restoration of theclosure to the body of the package with a sufliciently tight fit toretain itin place.

To permit the removal of the tablet or lozenge from the closure underthe conditions above referred to, I provide the top II of the closurewith package.

The opening I! permits air to enter the shell of the closure, withoutward movement of the imprisoned tablet or lozenge, with sufficientrapidity to relieve any sub-atmospheric pressure which may result fromsuch movement, although the space between the nubs I5 will admit someair.

i-o prevent dirt and moisture enteringthe closure through the opening -II affecting the portion of the tablet or lozenge exposed therethrough, I

provide a liner I 3 within and bearing upon the top 14 of the closure.'Iiheedge of this liner frictionally engages theskirt I3, and while itmay be moved when electing a tablet or lozenge from the closure, itsaccidental 'escape from the closure before application is prevented bysuch frictional engagement with the skirt and by the hubs I5 locatedbetween. it and the open bottom of the closure.

The package of the invention as actually used and as :shown in theaccompanying drawing, is :ylindrical. Whenplaced on sale, the innerwrapping 'II .is folded over both-end of the stack Ill and theouterwrapping I2 has its vertical edge portions glued together. The closureis slipped over the top of the package, as indicated by the label.

When it is desired to remove one of the tablets, the closure is removedand a portion of the wrappings II and 1I'2 about the uppermost tablet orlozenge .is removed by tearing. 'While the inner wrapping I'I may :havea crease defining the meeting races 'of adjoining tablets or lounges,the wrappings usually are torn irregularly, leaving an exposed edge areaof the tablet :or lozenge below that removed.

As the closure is replaced upon the body, if one orJmore of the nubs :I5 engages this exposed area, upon the next removal of the closure, the.uppermost tablet or lozenge will be gripped by these nubs and retainedwithin the shirt. If the uppermost tablet or lozenge remaining .in thebody of the package is removed, :a sufficient length of nubs I5 iscovered by the tablet or lozenge within the skirt of the closure toleave :an exposed length of nubs insufficient :to more than lightly gripthe body :of thepackageand there is great likelihood of the closurefallingmfi the body.

Hence, I iprovidethe Opening 1-1 and liner I 9 to permit ltheforcibleejection 'or expulsion of the tablet or ilozenge from theclosure. This may not be "required with the removal 'of each tablet orlozenge, but it does occur sufficiently frequently to make theme of thepackage commercially impracticable unless some provision be made toremove a tablet or lozenge imprisoned in the closure :so a to permit theclosure to be replaced uponth'e remaining =portiono'f thebody after theremoval o'f a'tabletor lozenge.

By terminating the nubs above thebottomedge of the skirt, the portion ofthe skirt below the nubs .seryes'to guidetheclosure and prevent tearingof the body wrappings'when placing or replacing it upon the :body, andthe tapered lower ends :of :the nubs .act to develop the -desired"localized pressure only after the closure is properly positioned on thebody of the package.

The closure is preferably made of thin gauge tin or aluminum. The linerI9 may be of thin paper surfaced on the top with any desired material toincrease its moisture resistant properties. The top M of the closure andthe liner l9 may be slightly dished or domed as shown.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the specific detailsshown and described, it being. apparent that such details may be variedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. A packagemade as shown in the drawing has, however, been in extensive, successfuluse.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to haveprotected by Letters Patent is:

1. A package embodying therein a body formed of a tearable wrappingclosely enveloping a stack of tablets or'lozenges, and a closure havinga skirt of a form to slip over an end of and frictionally engage theexterior of said body, and a top having an opening therethroughpermitting the passage of a push rod for ejecting from the closure afterits removal from the stack a tablet or lozenge which may be frictionallyretained within the skirt of the closure and accidentally removed fromthe stack with the closure whereby replacement of the closure upon thestack is permitted.

2. A package embodying therein a body formed of a tearable wrappingclosely enveloping a stack of tablets or lozenges, and a closure havinga flexible skirt of a form to slip over an end of said body, said skirthaving a plurality of spaced inwardly directed nubs for frictionalengagement with the exterior of said body, and a top having an openingtherethrough permitting the passage of a push rod for ejecting from theclosure after its removal from the stack a tablet or lozenge which maybe frictionally retained within the skirt of the closure andaccidentally removed from the stack with the closure whereby replacementof the closure upon the stack is permitted.

3. A package embodying. therein a body formed of a tearable wrappingclosely enveloping a stack of tablets or lozenges, and a closure havinga flexible skirt of a form to slip over an end of said body, said skirthaving a plurality of spaced inwardly directed nubs for frictionalengagement with the exterior of said body, said nubs being taperedtowards and merged into the material of the skirt adjacent its loweredge, and a top having an opening therethrough permitting the passage ofa push rod for ejecting a tablet or lozenge from within said skirt.

4. A package embodying therein a body formed of a tearable wrappingclosely enveloping a stack of tablets or lozenges, a closure having askirt of a form to slip over an end of and frictionally engage theexterior of said body, and a top having an opening therethroughpermitting the passage of a push rod for ejecting from the closure afterits removal from the stack a tablet or lozenge which may be frictionallyretained within the skirt of the closure and accidentally removed fromthe stack with the closure whereby replacement of the closure upon thestack is permitted, and a, liner within said skirt adjacent said top andextending across the opening therethrough, said liner being retained inplace by the frictional engagement of its edge with said skirt.

5. A package embodying therein a body formed of a tearable wrappingclosely enveloping a stack of tablets or lozenges, a closure having aflexible skirt of a form to slip over an end of said body, said skirthaving a plurality of spaced inwardly directed nubs for frictionalengagement with the exterior of said body, and a top having an openingtherethrough permitting the passage of a push rod for ejecting from theclosure after its removal from the stack a tablet or lozenge which maybe frictionally retained within the skirt of the closure andaccidentally removed from the stack with the closure whereby replacementof the closure upon the stack is permitted, and a liner within saidskirt adjacent said top and extending across the opening therethrough,said liner being retained in place by the frictional engagement of itsedge with said skirt.

6. A package embodying therein a body enveloping a stack of tablets orlozenges, consisting of an inner ply of metal foil and an outer ply ofpaper, a closure having a flexible skirt of a form to slip over an endof said body, said skirt having.

.a plurality of spaced inwardly directed nubs for frictional engagementwith the exterior of said body, said nubs being tapered towards andmerged into the material of the skirt adjacent its lower edge, and a tophaving an opening therethrough permitting the passage of a push rod forejecting a tablet or lozenge from Within said skirt, and a liner withinsaid skirt adjacent said top and extending across the openingtherethrough, said liner being retained in place by the frictionalengagement of its edge with said skirt.

7. In a package of the type herein described, a closure consisting of ametal shell having a flexible cylindrical skirt having a plurality ofspaced inwardly directed nubs tapered towards and merged into thematerial of the skirt above its lower edge, and a top having an openingtherethrough for the passage of an ejector rod, and a liner within saidskirt adjacent said top and'extending across the opening therethrough,said liner being of a diameter to cause its edge to frictionally engagesaid skirt.

CHARLES H. RASMUSSEN.

